The real problems with artificial snow (Vox)
by Neel Dhanesha
The 2022 Beijing Olympic games are made possible by massive quantities of machine-made snow. But is that stuff really snow at all? And what will its rising use in the face of climate change mean for the future of winter sports?

Mapping memories and stories on the brain (Quanta)
by Jordana Cepelewicz
How do we turn perceptions into abstract thoughts? How do we make images into memories? Scientists are finding surprising answers to these questions in striking maps of the brain.

What’s wrong with preschool? (NPR)
by Anya Kamenetz
A big recent study throws cold water on the idea that preschool is a magic bullet for helping children succeed later on. It could point the way to different kinds of early learning initiatives.

AIDS history through a Black lens (Black Perspectives)
by Dan Royles
Histories of the AIDS epidemic often start with a mysterious illness affecting gay white men in the early 1980s. A Black history of AIDS must start more than a decade earlier, and cover considerably different ground.

Astronauts for the Earth (Grist)
by Kate Yoder
For many people, a brief trip into space can have a dramatic effect on their outlook and priorities, often leading to a focus on global issues. What does that mean for the longstanding animosity between space exploration advocates and environmentalists?

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